– threatens to bash and bury workersRussian-owned, RUSAL/ Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI), fired its General Manager, yesterday, after the man reportedly used a spade to threaten workers on Sunday.Bauxite workers at the Aroaima mine site had accused Ruslan Volokhov of threatening them with a spade in the latest incident that continue to highlight the increasingly strained industrial relations in the Berbice region.The news of the Volokhov’s sacking came hours after the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) urged RUSAL, yesterday, to take action against the General Manager, while at the same time Government should on its own also sanction that company.GTUC, in a statement, claimed that it has received the complaints from several workers who were seated in a bus Sunday at the camp site.Volokhov allegedly was carrying a spade in his hands and “threatened to bash their heads and faces then bury them. This threat was made to the workers when they were in the company’s bus at the camp site.”It was disclosed that the incident was sparked by workers not turning up to work because there was no water to shower. Water supply did not resume until later that day.According to the GTUC, it is very disturbed by this new development which is a threat to the workers of Guyana.RUSAL’s sources said that the Plant Manager would be replacing Volokhov.“The manager behaved badly and disrespectfully. He was wrong. He has been withdrawn.” According to the RUSAL officials, the workers acted with restraint and with maturity and did not resort to strike actions over the matter.GTUC in a statement was clearly not happy over the incident on Sunday, describing it as slavery-like attitude by the manager.“This is plantation slavery for the General Manager to dare to think he can come to this sovereign country to violate workers like this.”GTUC went further. “For him being given the courtesy to come and exploit our natural resources and to dare to think the exploitation of our natural resources is equal to the exploitation of our manpower and laws, and the violations of the citizens’ rights and dignity we find totally unacceptable.“We call on BCGI to sanction his actions, and call on the Government of Guyana to sanction BCGI to protect the rights of Guyanese labour.”GTUC argued that RUSAL is getting away because of “Government’s actions and inactions and their violation of the rights of bauxite workers by giving tacit support to BCGI lawlessness and disrespect for local and international laws, declarations and conventions which bind labour relations.”The “refusal” of the Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir, to step in is exacerbating the situation.“What happened to bauxite workers on May 8 is akin to plantation slavery, which manifests itself today as modern slavery, where human life and dignity have no value other than for the production of goods and services; and when slaves were quartered and mutilated to satisfy Massa’s pleasure and passion.”According to GTUC, government has created, encouraged and nurtured this aggression against the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU), bauxite workers, “African Guyanese and citizens”.GTUC also alleged that the General Manager known to visit the mines under the influence of alcohol.GB&GWU and RUSAL have been clashing with government for the past 18 months after 50-plus workers,NFL Jerseys China, mainly union representatives were fired for leading strike actions for better working conditions.Several unions have accused Government of staying silent. RUSAL operates mines at Kwakwani and Aroaima, in the upper Berbice area.
